October 30th
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 3:8-12 NIV
This passage shows how we can come under a curse when we withhold the tithe from God. To tithe is “to pay or give a tenth part of especially for the support of the church” (Webster’s). The Israelites had not been giving the full tithe and God equated this with robbery. As a result, the whole nation came under a curse, affecting its food and financial resources.
God in his great mercy gave Israel the remedy for removing the curse. The people were simply to bring the whole tithe into the temple treasury. God even challenged them to test him on this and see how he would throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out abundant blessing on them. He also promised to rebuke the devourer and restore their crops to fruitfulness. All nations would call them blessed.
We can claim the same blessings when we tithe on our income. If it seems like a devourer has been plundering your finances, health, family, job satisfaction, etc., you may want to take a look at your tithing habits. A curse may not be involved in every case, but it certainly is a possibility to consider. You don’t have to live under a curse. You can choose to cheerfully invest your tithe in God’s kingdom work and expect blessings in return. You can take God up on his Word when you tithe – that he will open up the windows of heaven and abundantly bless you. He will rebuke any devourer that may be affecting you.
Questions for further thought:
Since God has everything he needs, why do we need to tithe?
What is one of the dangers we need to watch out for regarding our attitude toward money? (1 Timothy 6:10)
How is tithing linked to our success in spiritual warfare? (James 4:7)
What are the blessings that come with being generous? (Matthew 6:1,3-4, Proverbs 22:9, Proverbs 11:25, Psalm 37:25-26, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
More info and verses on giving, Honoring God with Sacrifices.
Prayer:
“Lord God, thank you for giving me the financial resources I have. I release my hold on them and submit to your leadership in my finances. Please forgive me for any times that I have failed to tithe cheerfully to your kingdom. Help me to take joy in supporting your kingdom work on earth. Please show me where to invest my tithes and offerings. Lord I agree with your Word concerning the blessings that come with bringing the full tithe into your house. Thank you, Father! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”